


You Don't Have to Be Alone

by EnglishPoet18



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-08
Updated: 2015-01-08
Packaged: 2018-03-06 15:59:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3140192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnglishPoet18/pseuds/EnglishPoet18





	You Don't Have to Be Alone

...

"Oh my God, they're everywhere!"

Carol shot Daryl a look that spoke volumes as they tried to fight their way through the herd that had surrounded them at the van. What they had thought to be a good idea at the time was quickly turning into anything but good. Carol jammed her knife into the eye of a nearby walker, pushing extra hard to make sure she touched the brain. She removed it just as quickly, turning to the next walker and repeating the action, but there were too many. Beside her she could hear Daryl panting with exertion as he attempted to fend them off from the other direction.

They were going to get themselves killed.

That old familiar sense of panic returned and she felt her chest tighten. This wasn't how it was going to end, was it? No, it couldn't be. Not on some bridge surrounded by walkers with them not even getting a fighting chance. Angrily she stabbed into the rotted corpse that barreled after her next, using the heel of her boot to shove the dead thing against the masses that threatened to engulf them at any minute. They couldn't die.

She hadn't had enough time with Daryl.

They had just barely been reunited and now it looked as though they would get torn to shreds before they ever had a chance to talk things through. She had so much to say, so much to tell him. She didn't even know where to begin. She just knew that this couldn't be the end. Life couldn't be this cruel.

 _Please God, not now,_ she prayed. _I just got him back._

"In the van!" Daryl yelled out suddenly.

Carol's eyes flicked to his as they were given a momentary breather as more walkers made their way over towards them. She barely had time to think about his demand before he was gently shoving her towards the back of the van and she scrambled inside. He kicked the face of an intruding walker, the sickening crunch making her grimace. She climbed to her knees and helped him slam the back doors shut, sealing them inside as the walkers pounded into the back glass, the sizable herd making the van shimmy precariously.

Daryl climbed into the driver's seat and she followed, sitting down into the passenger. He looked at her and she stared at him, unsure of how they were going to have any chance in hell of making it out of this one. She averted her eyes, feeling the sting of tears prick behind the lids and she stared straight ahead, trying to come to terms with the fact that this could very well be it.

He was breathing harshly next to her and she wanted to tell him. She needed to tell him how she felt in that moment before it was too late. They couldn't leave this earth without him knowing. No way. She opened her mouth to speak, "Daryl..."

He grabbed for his seatbelt, interrupting her moment of confession, "Buckle up."

She searched his eyes and he gestured to her seatbelt once more, the van rocking slightly as the walkers continued to try and claw their way inside. Numbly, she reached around her and buckled the belt with shaky hands. She could feel his piercing blue eyes boring into her skin and they locked with hers as the belt clicked into place.

"What are you doing Daryl?" She whispered.

"Trust me?" He asked suddenly and her heart took a flying leap into her throat. His face was scratched in several places, multiple bruises rising to surface beneath his tan skin, but he had never looked more beautiful to her in that moment. She nodded mutely, not trusting herself to speak.

He fiddled with the ignition of the van, switching it on and surprisingly it fired right to life. Carol swallowed and braced both hands onto the dashboard in front of her, the tears that had lingered before now spilling freely down her cheeks. He surprised her by placing his own hand over hers, passing his own strength to her in just a touch. His thumb brushed softly over her weathered skin and she tightened her fingers, silently saying every prayer she could think of.

Daryl hit the gas and the back tires spun, but it was enough to sway the van in their direction, the front tipping forward and Carol's heart stopped. She didn't remember a lot in that moment, her fear was so overwhelming. One minute they were hanging off of a bridge and the next they had slammed down onto the ground below it, the windows shattering and cracking. Walkers slammed into the top of the van above them, making loud noises as they fell to their death.

Carol groaned softly and realized that she was still gripping Daryl's hand. Her gaze darted to him and she was relieved to see that he appeared to be fine. At least he was alive, that was the important thing...they both were and she said another whispered prayer of thanks. He unbuckled his seatbelt and took several deep breaths.

"You alright?" He asked her.

"I'm okay," she nodded.

"Let's get out of here," Daryl said and she unbuckled her belt, climbing out of the van.

One step onto her foot caused her to wince and she hobbled a bit as pain washed through her ankle. Daryl was by her side in an instant and he lifted one of her arms, sliding it across his shoulders as he helped to support her weight. She smiled at him in gratitude and together they made their way into the city...into the unknown.

...

"We'll rest here," Daryl said as they entered an abandoned office building. The hospital where they figured Beth to be held was only a block over, but they needed time to regroup and Carol needed to rest her ankle. The good thing was that she didn't think that it was broken, just jarred by the sudden van drop.

Together they made their way into a large office and Daryl locked the door behind them. Their was a couch to one side as well as a large desk and a beautiful view from the floor to ceiling windows located behind it. She could see Grady Memorial in the distance.

Making her way to the couch she sat down with a relieved sigh. It felt so good to sit on something comfortable...felt so good to be _alive._ _  
_

"You should get some sleep. I'll stay up," Daryl said softly.

She shook her head, "I'm fine. I'll stay up with you."

He sighed and she could hear the exasperation in his voice. "Carol we just crashed off a fucking bridge running from a herd. You can hardly walk on your left foot and you could use the rest. Get some sleep," he insisted.

Carol gritted her teeth. She had forgotten how bossy and stubborn he could be at times. God, she had missed that. She wasn't going to sleep though...she couldn't. There was still too much adrenaline rushing through her bloodstream for her to even think about sleep right now.

"I couldn't sleep right now even if I wanted to Daryl. I'm fine."

He shook his head, one foot perched onto the desk chair that he had slid up to the window as he peered out into the city. "Forgot how damn stubborn you are."

"Same goes for you Dixon," she muttered and he snorted, a tiny smile teasing his lips. They were quiet for a bit as Carol let her ankle rest, the pain easing off some so that it wasn't as intense as before. She watched his side profile as he studied the city. He was dirty, slightly bloody, and covered in various bruises, but he still had the ability to make her heart flutter dangerously in her chest.

"What are we doing here Daryl?" She asked softly.

His eyes slid to hers for a second, "Figured we'd rest up before hitting the hospital. Take a breather and maybe search out some weapons."

"That's not what I meant."

He paused and slowly pushed away from the window, walking towards her, but stopping midway across the room. "What _did_ you mean?"

"I meant _us_ , me and you," she clarified. "What are we doing? You haven't asked me what happened with Lizzie and Mika."

"It doesn't matter. It's in the past and I don't need to know."

"But why not?" She pressed. "Everyone else did. Back at the church, several of the others were asking me." She was quiet for a moment as she remembered. "They look at me differently now..." she whispered.

He strode over to her, his shoulders rigid and fell to his knees before her, his strong fingers gripping her chin. "Do you regret it?"

She frowned, "Regret what?"

"What happened."

She thought about that. Did she regret it? No, she had done what needed to be done. She hadn't _liked_ it, not at all. It had reminded her too much of Sophia, but she hadn't _regretted_ any of it. She had been protecting them in the best way that she knew how. It didn't mean that she hadn't loved those two little girls.

"Yes and no. I would do it again if I had to, but I'd rather I didn't have to," she explained.

His eyes softened and he nodded. "Then stop," he said firmly. "Stop worrying about how everyone else looks at you. You did what had to be done and that takes guts. After everything you've been through," he paused, swallowed, and she knew that he was thinking of Sophia like she was. "I'm proud of you."

She sucked in a breath and gazed at him tenderly. Slowly, she reached up and slid her hand along his forearm and up to his finger that still gripped her chin. She tugged on them and he let go, allowing her to grip his hand. She pressed her lips to his fingers softly and then pressed his palm against her thudding heart.

"There's something that I need to tell you Daryl," she whispered.

"Yeah?" His voice was rough, his tone deeper than it had been mere moments ago.

"I love you," she blurted. "I've loved you for a long time." She held her body rigid, almost afraid of what his response would be. She couldn't even meet his eyes in that moment, her own feeling too raw and vulnerable.

"Carol..."

She pressed her fingers to his lips, her eyes meeting his once more. "Don't. Please don't. I just..." She searched for the right words, "I just need you to kiss me."

His eyes widened in shock and then darkened as his tongue darted out to moisten his slightly chapped lips. She watched his teeth sink into his bottom lip and he bit down on the plump flesh before releasing it with a long breath. Her heart sank. _He didn't love her...he thought she was crazy...she couldn't stand this torture anymore._

And then he kissed her.

Daryl Dixon was kissing her and it took her brain a second to register his lips on hers. She felt his hesitation and he started to withdraw, but she grabbed his shirt, keeping him close as her lips moved against his own. He braced his hands on the edge of the couch as he leaned into her and she yearned to feel more of him, needed to touch him everywhere. His tongue slid gently into her mouth and she wrapped her own around it, sucking it greedily and he let out a small moan, deepening the kiss. She was shaking, her hands actually trembling and she couldn't get them to stop as she pulled back for air.

"I...please touch me," she stated.

He sucked in a breath, his eyes sparking with a heat she had never seen before. He sat down on the couch and pulled her over so that she straddled his lap, his hands rubbing the top of her thighs. She could tell that he was unsure of himself, but his eyes drank her up eagerly and made her body feel weak with desire. Without thinking of what she was doing she grabbed his hands and placed them over her breasts.

"I know that we should probably do this slow and all since we never have, but we almost died back there Daryl. We can do slow later, but I need you hard now. I need to feel you...inside of me."

His eyes fluttered closed, nostrils flaring as he breathed in deep. He tugged her towards his chest and nuzzled his face into her neck, her pulse beating wildly against his mouth. He suddenly drew back and his lips slanted over hers again as though he was branding her. His hands slid down her body to her waist and then they were both jerking at their clothing, not being able to get naked quite fast enough.

She stood up and shucked her shirt over her head, her pants following immediately afterward, not looking at him until she was done. When she finally looked up, her breath caught in her throat as she finally got to see him. He was sitting on the couch still, his pants drawn down to his ankles, boots still on. His cock was hard and thick between his legs, arching upwards with just a drop of dew on the tip. Carol licked her lips and straddled his lap once more, her body brushing against him. She breathed out a deep sigh of pleasure, rocking her hips so that he continued to rub against the heart of her. His arms slid around her waist, but it wasn't enough. She needed to see his naked chest, to feel his muscles tighten beneath her hands when she sank down onto him for the first time.

Her fingers found the hem of his shirt and she tugged on it, her intentions clear. He stared at her for several moments, not moving or allowing her to tug it off and she dropped her hands with resignation. He leaned forward seconds later and grasped the material in one hand, jerking it over his head and dropping it to the floor beside them. Her eyes sparked with heat and she let her gaze travel over his chest hungrily, smoothing her hands over the light dusting of hair surrounding his navel. His stomach quivered at her touch. Holding his gaze she lifted herself over him, slowly sinking back down onto his tip and they both sucked in air as her body accepted him.

"Christ," he murmured.

Resting her arms on his shoulders she began to slowly move and his hands slid to her hips, fingertips grazing her ass. He picked up the pace, rocking in and out of her, pushing in as far as he can go, making her moan softly in response. He grabbed her hands, raising them above her head and she had no choice but to arch into him, her breasts thrust into his face. He opened his mouth and gently ran his tongue around one nipple before sucking it into his mouth.

Carol felt her body buck and he released her nipple, burying his face into her neck, his breath hot on her skin. "I love you Carol," he breathed.

Carol squeezed her thighs, her orgasm rushing towards her like a speeding train. She sucked in a lungful of air as it hit her all at once and she bucked against him. He growled into her neck, squeezing her whole body to him as he pumped his hips furiously up into her. His whole body tensed and began to jerk as he spilled himself inside of her, both of them rocking together as their pulse began to finally slow.

He rubbed his hands over her back gently, his fingers tracing lazy circles as she lay against him. She felt more relaxed in that moment than she could ever remember feeling in a long time, his words replaying over and over in her head. He pulled back and rested his forehead against her own, piercing baby blues boring into her.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?"

"For being alive," he responded softly. "I'm not sure I could do this without you."

She pressed her lips to his, brushing them slowly together. "Let's hope neither of us have to."

...


End file.
